Thinking

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As I made my stoneware pots this week I noticed how I handle that material differently than have been handling the earthenware. Of course this makes sense as I know the stoneware pots intimately, I know they are going to get slipped, and go into the kiln for their final decoration...salt, soda, flame, flashing. The stoneware pots are gestural, carefree, casual. Those are words that come to mind.

I think the earthenware so far has been less carefree, even though I am making the same forms. Well mostly. The small bowls have been new. I guess what I am getting at is this...I want my earthenware to have the same qualities of the stoneware in the making process. Maybe even more exaggerated. Then there will be the opportunity of learning how to decorate on these pots.

I have noticed that my earthenware is informed by pots that are more traditional in form and deco. Which makes sense, that's an okay starting point. But being who I am and working like I do, I'd like to push the earthenware to a more casual place and see where that leads with the deco. As I write this I notice that I also feel some comfort in thinking that I could make more traditionally informed shapes and growing into that area. So who knows.

More or less I'm just writing to get this out of my head. I don't know what I'll do. I do have ideas taking shape in my sketchbooks and journal. For now it's about exploration.

Bananas?

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Hannah has a picture on her blog of banana boxes filled with pots. I too am a 'banana box' potter. Sometimes at shows people will say, 'here comes the banana boy'. I learned the banana box packing method from Tom Gray so I am just carrying that tradition along.

I have felt out of sorts and lost in my direction lately (that's nothing new really, but I mean in the pottery shop). So yesterday I got down to figuring out what I need to do next and plan for the coming week or so. I am back in the stoneware and have almost enough pots for two firings of the salt/soda kiln. Yesterday I wrote out a short 'to make' list and knocked out about half of it. I will fire the salt kiln next week and hopefully a load of earthenware too. Then one more firing of the salt kiln before my Home Sale at end of March (notice I have my Calender for 2008 there on the right).

I am almost out of stoneware clay so that will have to be mixed soon, but in the mean time the earthenware will come out of the rack and that will be enough for two small firings. Maybe I'll get my gas kiln finished before then.

The NC Potter's Conference is coming up in early March and I am really looking forward to going and seeing all my friends and having a fun weekend.

I just put some bread in the oven and it should come out in about 30 min. Then it's out to finish up pots and move on with the day.

The lunar eclipse was quite beautiful last night.

Clive Bowen Pots

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When Rock Creek Pottery had their last sale in October before moving away to N.M. they had many pots from their collection for sale. Here are a few of Clive Bowen's pots they had out. I couldn't afford them but they were wonderful to see in person.

Hoot Hoot

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Early last night I heard two owls calling in the woods across the road. There are small patches of woods there surrounding fields. Good hunting grounds. It's been quite a while since I've heard an owl so I got really excited and went outside for a bit to listen to them.
I am guessing they were Barred Owls.
It's times like last night that snap me out of my mindless habits and put me in the present moment. Those owls calling were 'here and now' , a beautiful moment to savor and enjoy. Of course every moment offers that...it's just remembering to be 'awake' for it.
As Thoreau said "To be awake is to be alive."

Pasta 101

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Sarah took some images of the pasta I made tonight. I bought a $30 pasta roller a couple weeks ago and this is the second time I've used it. Making homemade pasta is really simple and so tasty. Here are the sheets all rolled out.Then ya roll them up.
Slice them to the desired thickness (they will get a little bigger when they cook.) You have to be sure to dust the sheets well before rolling or the sliced pasta won't unroll.
Ready to boil for 3 or 4 minutes.
All set with homemade bread and sauce on one of my new plates.
I think the basic recipe for this pasta is 100g of all purpose flour to one egg. So I do 200 g and 2 eggs for me and Sarah. That's a good portion but you could make more. Mix it up, knead it well, rest wrapped in plastic wrap for 30 min in fridge before rolling out. Bob's your uncle.

How it's going.

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Doug asked how things were going so I thought I'd catch you all up on things.

I threw the last of my earthenware today so I'm back to stoneware for a bit. Honestly I just want to make earthenware for a while, which is a nice feeling to have. I had fun today slipping some mugs and putting dots on them. I am going to fire this load of pots early next week. I'll bisque later this week as soon as a few things dry out.

I haven't worked on the kiln again, but plan to getting it knocked out soon. Things are sort of piling up around here, lots of pots in the workshop, the kiln shed is a mess etc. I need to get back to some order.

I am feeling pretty well too. In good spirits for the most part and it didn't hurt that the weather was sunny and spring-like today.

I've been baking plenty of bread and tonight I am making pasta from scratch with a simple tomato sauce with garlic and onions...and maybe a mushroom or two.

So that's that for now. More later maybe.

Demo

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I did a demonstration for the pottery guild I belong to this afternoon. It went well and folks told me they enjoyed it. Here are a few images , I'll try and get a few more up later.

Pudding, Pitchers, and Platters

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I didn't get to work on the kiln today. I stayed busy finishing up yesterdays bowls and plates and after lunch mixed up a rack of earthenware. Looks like a big batch of chocolate pudding. I've got to start making stoneware on Monday, so by the time this is ready to come out of the rack I'll be ready to make some more red pots.

Below are all the pitchers, slipped and decorated.

And I got my platters finished today too.

So I'm a happy camper.

In the Shop

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Sarah took a few images of me in the studio Wednesday night. These are for something I have coming up later online but I thought I'd share them here. I'll try to get her out there again to shoot a few more soon.

Today's Work

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It's been a beautiful day. The cows across the way were out bright and early enjoying the sunshine and grass in the pasture.I got all my pitchers and mugs handled today. Made more bowls, plates and cups too. I mixed up a larger bucket of black slip and some more green slip. I will fire this earthenware next week and probably the salt kiln right after that.

I am really having fun making this work. I just feel like I have all sorts of options and things to work out, but for now it's exciting and I am trying out whatever I feel like.
I am going to finish up pots tomorrow and work on the kiln for a bit. It's supposed to be sunny again so I will take advantage of that.
See ya!

Crumpets 101

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Happy Valentines Day.

Okay, now no laughing from you all from across the pond...

As a special treat for Sarah this morning I thought I'd get up and make crumpets. Sarah has talked fondly of having crumpets when she was in school for a semester at Kingston University London.
Of course I've never even seen a real crumpet. Anyhow with some info from Andrew I was able to get on my way with a recipe. My first attempts (on the left) resulted in 'blind crumpets', ie no eyes, or holes. I had to thin my batter down and I tried a few freeform shapes without the cookie rings. Andrew informed me that these are known as pikelets. There are a couple pikelets there on the far right. After I got my batter straightened out I went back to the ring method and turned out quite a few acceptable crumpets.
Of course my sweet wife was surprised and tickled to see me trying something that was distinctly for her. (She would have ate one even if was terrible, just for my efforts). Anyhow we shared a couple with butter and jam before she headed out to work. The rest will be saved for later.
Another recipe for crumpets here.

Getting the Lead Out

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I bought some commercial earthenware while in the city yesterday. Today I gave it a go and made some pitchers. I liked the way it threw, it was pretty tight and I was able to get the clay up and into the wall of the pots, getting the weight out of the bottoms. So these pitchers are much better than the ones from last week. I tried some fatter ones too, I've never been too great at making this shape but the one on the left is okay, and on the right too. That one in the center ...not so much. These will all get handles tomorrow. This clay is similar to the test batch I mixed up last week, so I am honing in on finding a clay I like. The first body I mixed had great qualities but it doesn't throw that well and it's just too short and course for me.
I decorated a few plates today and some bowls too. I am trying to leave some blank space.

These 16" dishes have lots of space. I guess I'm up to putting something on them. They will get slipped and drawn on tomorrow or Friday.

Treasures of The Earth

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We had a good turnout a the Treasures reception the other night. Here are a few shots of my booth and pots. My earthenware was well recieved and I sold a few plates, a square dish and a few small trays as well as some of my salt/soda work. The show is up for a month so I expect a few more things to go.

The Circle of Eight crew was well represented in the show. Here you see Greg Scott, me, Amy Sanders, Julie Wiggins, and Adrienne Dellinger. Jen Mecca was in the show too but couldn't attend the reception because she had a class to teach.

Spontanous Kiln Building

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Some spontaneous kiln building erupted today down in the shed. I got started after lunch and had all this done by 4:30 pm. I had to stop to come in and get supper going (more on that later).This is going to be my new bisque kiln and the kiln I fire my earthenware in. The walls are one brick thick which I think is fine for those temperatures. It is going to have a flat, ceramic fiber roof, and will be loaded from the front there. It will accommodate two 12"x 24" shelves. I think the stacking space will be about 10.5 cubic ft, depending on how far up I go with the walls.
I'm not sure of that flue dimension. It looks large but I went ahead with it. I can come in later and make it smaller, no problem.
I have been thinking about this kiln for a while so I should be able to knock it out in a few more sessions. You can see some plans for a similar kiln here. That kiln has 9" walls I believe and a brick flattop which looks like a total pain. If I were going to go to all that trouble I'd just build a sprung arch.
Okay gotta go for now

Morning Pots

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Ah, Monday morning. A fresh start in many ways. I am looking forward to getting out to the workshop. I don't think I'm gonna make pitchers today though. Maybe some bowls, a few bakers, and some plates. I did end up recycling all but one pitcher, they were just too heavy in the bottoms. I'll give it another shot later in the week.
These two pots have been my standards for quite a while now. The mug is by Doug Fitch. I use it daily. The bowl came out of my first earthenware firing. I also kept a plate with a bird drawing. I admit I was reluctant to begin using some of my earthenware pots. They were sort of like the new kids on the block, I had to accept them and see them as the good and meaningful additions to our home .

Sarah and I had a little talk about my red clay work this weekend. I am struggling with taking time to make new work and explore the firings and glaze. It is taking time away from the stoneware. I can't do both at the same time as my space doesn't allow for it. The stoneware is where I make my money, and I do have a couple shows coming up relatively soon. Sarah said she thinks I should pour myself into the earthenware if that's my desire and really just go for it. I can always work intensely in it for a few weeks and then hit the stoneware path again if I want. I admit I have trouble realizing that when I make a choice to do some thing that I can always change my mind or go back. Nothing has to be permanent. Nothing is in fact.

So I am going to stick with it for a while, make some pots, and rebuild my little updraft kiln so that's it loads from the front and convert it to a downdraft. I have all the materials to do this and it will probably take less than 2 days to complete.

Well I am off to work. Happy Monday!

House Work

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Sarah painted a bunch of quarter round moulding yesterday while I worked around in the kitchen getting things prepped to nail it down. I'll get up a shot of our new tile soon. We are very happy with it. Now we think we'd like to have some new cabinets.

More Tests

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I unloaded the test kiln Saturday morning and was happy to see my line blends came out well. I know these may look similar to some other tests from before, but this is a different base glaze with varying percentages of black iron (again). So I am learning new info each time. The first set it the glaze over white slip. (I didn't sieve the second to the right, so that's why it has the black specks, I sieved after that mistake).This second set is the same glazes but testing them over the white slip with a green pour.
My favorites from both sets are the two on the far right. This base glaze seems to be more stable and easier to apply than my previous test. I still have my amber that is working well. So I am honing in on what I want.

Regarding clay, I did mix up a small 10 # batch on Friday. I'm going to throw some small bowls and see how I like it. The clay I am using now is wonderful, but I think I may need to back off some of the course particles in it and have more of a variety of particle size throughout. I do love it's color though. The new batch is more of a brown, not that wonderful orange/red that comes from the Neuman brick clay.